This year’s International Youth Media Summit takes place in a virtual edition from July 31 to August 8. It will bring together 70 diplomats, filmmakers and consultants from 23 countries on online platforms to participate in the 15th edition of IYMS. The organizers are the Croatian Film Association and the Karlovac Cinema Club.
Under the guidance of a variety of diplomacy and film experts, participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers and produce seven short films. Through the theme of the Summit “Online: United From Our Homes”, young people will find a link between the current coronavirus pandemic and the world’s most significant problems (Discrimination, Environment, Health, Poverty, Violence, Women’s Rights and Youth Empowerment).
Due to the new circumstances and the recommended measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters, the Summit could not be held in Karlovac as planned, but the two-week physical edition was postponed for the summer of 2021. Previous Summits have been held in the United States, Sweden, Australia, Nepal and Serbia.
As part of the Summit, masterclasses will be held that are open to all interested individuals. The lecturers are international and domestic experts, and the topics are closely related to film, media and diplomacy. More detailed information and how to access the masterclasses can be found on the official IYMS page and Instagram and Facebook profiles.
Croatian member of the Advisory Board and Chairperson of the Youth Committee Antonio Britvar shared with us some details about the organization: “All these years, IYMS successfully overcame many cultural differences and obstacles arising in international cooperation, but this year we have completely new ones ahead of us. Delegates will have a special challenge in film production because they will have to come up with a concept that everyone can contribute to remotely, overcoming the limitations of the digital environment. ” In addition to Antonio, the Croatian delegation consists of 3 other co-organizers Rebeka Čuljak, Ora Kovač and Karlo Špoljar, delegate Klara Jovanov and mentor Sanja Zanki Pejić.
So far, more than 1,400 students from 64 countries have participated in the 14 Summits, with the ultimate goal of using the media to achieve real sustainable change in their own communities and around the world. So far, the participants have made more than 130 short films together. These films have been screened at the United Nations, for country officials, in classrooms around the world, on television programs and extensively on websites and social media. The Summit is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Croatian sponsors of this year’s version are Croatian Association of Technical Culture, the Croatian Audiovisual Center and Karlovac County.
By involving children and young people in events of this type, Karlovac and Croatia are positioned on the world map of creativity of children and youth. Is there anything more beautiful than creating in an international environment and communicating with your European and world peers? Film art and media literacy generally strive for teamwork and are an ideal environment for overcoming all cultural barriers and implementing direct and indirect, already acquired knowledge and experiences. In addition to connecting our young talents with peers from different parts of the world, the active role of Croatian representatives is extremely important and influences the positioning of Croatian youth creativity in the world. The IYMS 2020 and 2021 further round the long-standing collaboration between Croatian Film Association and IYMS.
